This Autumn, Valldaura Labs launched a foundational seminar focused on forests and cities with the objective of bringing together experts in bio-driven territories, cities and construction to create as yet unrealized opportunities for dialogue and synergies between these interrelated disciplines. 

The seminar discussed the future of our territories and cities from new principles that emerge around the interaction between the science of forests, ecological urban development and the fight against climate change. The talks created a platform to gather various actors working in these fields to explore strategies of collaboration as well as potential shared projects. Contributors presented innovative visions and pioneering projects through which a paradigm shift was encouraged towards future urban and territorial development. The seminar was supported by the presence of both officials and experts, including the Director of the Colserolla Park Marià Martì and the Colserolla Park Manager, as well as Vicente Guallart, the Director of Valldaura Labs, experts from the European Forestry Institute (EFI), the Ecological and Forestry Applications Research Centre (CREAF), Centre Tecnològic Forestal de Catalunya (CTFC), Ajuntament Municipal de Barcelona, Visoren and Tallfusta. 

Presentations in BioTerritories included discussions about the value of Mediterranean Metropolitan Forests (by Joan Pino, CREAF), integral forest management as a tool to ensure the environmental, social and economic values of forest ecosystems (by Antoni Farrero, AMB), and the forestry sector in Barcelona and its relation with large metropolitan areas (by Antoni Trasobares, CTFC). Discussions about BioCities covered various topics related to approaches to the bioeconomy and the biologisation of cities, urban heat island management studies and urban forestry, and data for air quality in cities. These topics were presented and debated by Inazio Martinez de Arano of EFI, Goran Krsni of CTFC, and Olga Subrios, the curator for Catalonia Participation at the 17th Venice Biennale in 2020. 

Experts on BioConstructions introduced their experience with wood construction, building on wood and energy efficiency, CLT, wood construction in Catalonia and wood construction with km0. Experts included Pilar Giraldo of CTF, Ramon Llobera of Trass Arquitectura, Arnau Boronat  of Fustes Sebastia, Ignasi Caus from Tallfusta, and Michael Salka from Valldaura Labs.